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Ventura to Appear at Paul Shadow Convention

July 31, 2008 5:33 PM

ABC's Z. Byron Wolf Reports: We already knew the bearded Grover Norquist and the bedraggled former bowtie-wearing pundit Tucker Carlson would address Texas Congressman and libertarian Republican Ron Paul's shadow convention - aka The Rally for the Republic - in Minneapolis later this summer.

But those two men, anti-tax and libertarian though they may be, are, lets face it, nerds. And the other speakers, former Congressman and Arizona political scion Barry Goldwater Jr. and legal expert Bruce Fein aren't much better. In order to harness some of that youthful energy that marked his Presidential campaign, Paul needed some star power and it seems he's got it.

In video on his website today, Paul announced that former Minneapolis Governor and professional wrestler, erstwhile Mexico surfer dude and anti-establishment independent politics rock star Jesse Ventura, even though he has ruled out a bid to shake up the US Senate race in Minnesota and is in no way a Republican, will take part in the rally.

The Rally for the Republic on Sept. 2 at the Target Center (holds 18,000 and 7,000 tickets have been sold according to a Paul staffer) in Minneapolis, is set to caps off a week of activities sponsored by Paul's new Political Action group, the Campaign for Liberty, from book signings and a concert to the "Campaign for Liberty Real Politics Training School," which is being billed to supporters as "your opportunity to learn the skills‚ strategies‚ and techniques necessary to be an effective activist‚ from top experts in the field."

July 31, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (57)

With Favre’s Future in Doubt, Don’t Look to McCain for Mediation

July 31, 2008 4:34 PM

ABC News’s Bret Hovell reports from Racine, WI: The Iraq war, global warming, immigration, campaign finance reform: controversial issues on which John McCain has taken difficult stances throughout his career.

Just don’t ask him to mediate what’s going on a few miles north of here in Green Bay with the state’s beloved football hero, Brett Favre.

The first person McCain called on at his Wisconsin town hall-style meeting Thursday had a plan for McCain to help him win the state.

“I think you could carry Wisconsin, if you can get up and talk to Mark Murphy and Ted Thompson and resolve this dispute in Green Bay,” the man suggested to McCain, who trails his rival here by double digits in recent polls.

The crowd –- and McCain –- laughed at the proposition.

“My friends, there’s a lot of controversies that I have eagerly leapt into in my time,” McCain, the presumptive Republican nominee, said. “And I did stand fifth from the bottom of my class at the Naval Academy. But I’m not so dumb that I’m going to jump into that one.”

Favre, who retired at the end of last season, changed his mind in recent weeks and decided he wanted to come back, creating a flap about who would be the starting quarterback for the team, and whether or not Favre –- an institution in Wisconsin –- could or should be traded to another team. Mark Murphy, the Packers president, and Ted Thompson the team’s general manager, have been in negotiations with the star to figure out what his future will hold.

It’s a hot topic here –- this wasn’t the first Wisconsin town hall in which McCain was asked the question about Favre coming out of retirement.

On July 11, the last time McCain was in Wisconsin, he was asked the same question. At that meeting he punted, saying that Favre could help inspire young people to be physically fit.

Thursday, though he wouldn’t take a side in the dispute, he did offer a bit of a palliative.

“One thing that we all agree on that Brett Favre has provided America and the state of Wisconsin with some of its greatest memories and I hope that we all keep that in mind as we go forward,” McCain said.

July 31, 2008 in Hunter, Duncan | Permalink | User Comments (6)

McCain: 'We're Proud of That Commercial'

July 31, 2008 2:08 PM

ABC News' David Wright reports: Who knew Paris and Britney would ever be a campaign issue???

The McCain campaign's decision to feature the women in a 30-second spot accusing rival Sen. Barack Obama of being a shallow celebrity has consumed the campaign debate today.

At a town hall meeting in Racine, Wisc., Republican Sen. John McCain tried to steer clear.  But a young voter wouldn't let him off the hook.

"It seems to me that you've flip flopped," 23 year old Obama supporter Wendy Chavours-Freeman said, referring to McCain's promises to run a clean campaign on the issues.

McCain defended the ad.  "All I can say is we’re proud of that commercial," McCain said. "We think Americans need to know that I believe that we should base this campaign on what we can do for Americans at home and how we can make Americans safe and prosperous and that’s the theme of our campaign."

"I respect and admire sen Obama, but we have stark differences," McCain said.  "And those differences need to be drawn."

"These campaigns are tough," he said, "But I'm proud of the campaign we've run."

Earlier today, McCain's campaign manager went so far as to issue a statement accusing Obama of "playing the race card."

"Barack Obama has played the race card, and he played it from the bottom of the deck. It’s divisive, negative, shameful and wrong,” said Rick Davis in a statement.

Davis was responding to Obama's own comments Wednesday in response to the ad.  Obama told reporters: "The only way they figure they’re going to win this election is if they make you scared of me. So what they’re saying is, "Well, we know we’re not very good but you can’t risk electing Obama. You know, he’s new, he doesn’t look like the other presidents on the currency, you know, he’s got a funny name."

Today in Cedar Rapids, Obama chided McCain for raising what he considers a trivial issue: "Given the seriousness of the issues, you’d think we could have a serious debate.  But so far,  all we've been hearing about is Paris Hilton and Britney Spears. I mean, I do have to ask my opponent, is that the best you can come up with? Is that really what this election is about? Is that what is worthy of the American people?"

For his part, McCain renewed his call for frequent town hall debates with Obama, an offer Obama has so far refused.  "Yesterday in case you missed it, he wanted to have a duel.  I'm not sure what sort of weapons he had in mind," McCain chuckled.  "Why can't we just have a discussion?"

July 31, 2008 in Hunter, Duncan, Kucinich, Dennis, Tancredo, Tom, Thompson, Fred | Permalink | User Comments (269)

Sen. Kerry: McCain is 'Dead Wrong'; This is 'The Challenge of Our Generation'

July 31, 2008 1:56 PM

ABC News' Molly Hunter and Alexa Ainsworth Report: Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., called for a new framework to address the "war on terror" in the form of global counter-indoctrination that will win over hearts and minds. He went on to advocate for a counterinsurgency effort that will demonstrate what is best about America and focus less on brute force.

"It is long overdue that we, who ushered in the information age, start to fight an information struggle too," Kerry said Thursday at The Center for American Progress Action Fund, the advocacy branch of the liberal think tank, The Center for American Progress.

Kerry said the 2008 election represents "the highest stakes of all," and that whoever wins the election will have to deal urgently with Al Qaeda in Afghanistan and Pakistan, adding that we are in "real danger of losing Afghanistan."

Kerry cited that there is a distinct choice in his mind, between Sen. John McCain and his "mangle[d] history" and "misstate[d] facts" and Sen. Barack Obama who brings the possibility of "the greatest era of progressive legislation since Lyndon Johnson."

In an October, 2003 memo on global terrorism, Donald Rumsfeld asked, what Kerry considered to be the "crucial question in today's challenge." Rumsfeld asked if we are in fact destroying as many terrorists as the radical fundamentalists are recruiting and deploying against us?

Five years later Kerry concluded that the answer to Rumsfeld's question is still "no" and that needs to change.

Kerry cited the recent high frequency of terrorist attacks globally, and said that military action in Afghanistan and Pakistan is clearly not sufficient. He emphasized the importance of focused efforts in Afghanistan and Pakistan, blaming the current impasse in Pakistan on the Bush administration's fixation on Iraq.

Kerry, an Obama supporter also blames McCain for being fixated on Iraq and took issue with McCain's April proclamation on ABC's The View, that "Afghanistan is not in trouble because of our diversion to Iraq." Kerry characterized McCain's recent judgments as "dead wrong," and said that Al Qaeda in Afghanistan and Pakistan is the "challenge of our generation."

He stressed the importance of the survival of a democratically elected Pakistani government and the inescapable interconnectedness with Afghanistan, advocating for an immediate adjustment in the way the U.S. approaches Al Qaeda battlegrounds.

Overall, Kerry believes that the strategy used to fight the "war on terror" needs to be broadened.

"Focusing on winning a war of ideas as opposed to just killing terrorists will not only enable us to defeat our enemies but will restore our ability to have a positive impact on change in other areas."

July 31, 2008 in Hunter, Duncan, Kucinich, Dennis, Tancredo, Tom, Thompson, Fred, Veepstakes | Permalink | User Comments (33)

Sen. Stevens Enters Not Guilty Plea

July 31, 2008 1:09 PM

ABC News' Matt Jaffe and Theresa Cook Report:  At his Thursday afternoon arraignment before a federal judge, Sen. Ted Stevens pleaded not guilty to charges that he concealed $250,000 worth of gifts he received from an oil services company.

Stevens, the longest-serving Republican Senator, did not speak during his appearance in the packed courtroom, but his attorney, Brendan V. Sullivan Jr., told U.S. District Judge Emmet G. Sullivan that his client wished to plead not guilty.  After the plea was entered, a relaxed-looking Stevens took a seat while lawyers began to hammer out the pre-trial details.

After a 30-minute recess, Judge Sullivan ruled that Stevens could be released on his own recognizance, but ordered him to surrender his passport.  The court tentatively set the trial for September 24.

"This is not a complex case," Stevens' attorney said before the break, as he requested that the trial be expedited so the Senator could have the opportunity to clear his name before the November election.

Stevens, one of 18 Republican Senators running for reelection this year, will attempt to fend off a challenge for the seat he's held since 1968 from likely opponent Mark Begich, the mayor of Anchorage. 

Attorney Sullivan had also asked for a change of venue to Alaska, noting that 90 percent of the case's witnesses reside in that state and the activities in question occurred there, but prosecutor Brenda Morris argued that a move would be "inappropriate." 

The defense is expected to file a formal request on the matter, and the judge said he'll consider the request at an August 19 hearing.

A swarm of media surrounded the federal courthouse in Washington, D.C. in anticipation of the Alaska Republican's appearance, but Stevens, wearing a light gray suit, pale blue shirt and dark blue tie, did not speak to reporters as he entered or exited the building.

On Tuesday, a federal grand jury handed down a seven-count indictment, charging that Stevens received $250,000 worth of gifts from the now-defunct Alaska firm VECO, but did not report them on financial disclosure forms he is required to submit to the secretary of the Senate. 

The company and its CEO allegedly paid for major renovations to Stevens' Girdwood, Alaska home, participated in a car swap with the Senator in which he received a significantly more valuable vehicle that the one he put up in the trade, and outfitted his home with a professional grill, tool cabinet and furniture, according to the indictment.

Stevens, the longest-serving Senator in his party, is the 11th sitting U.S. Senator to be indicted in American history. 

He released a statement on Tuesday, declaring his innocence and stating his contention that he has never deliberately filed a false disclosure form. 

Federal agents raided the Girdwood home last July as part of their investigation into alleged public corruption in Alaska.  The inquiry, launched in 2004, has resulted in seven convictions to date, including those of former VECO executives and Alaska state lawmakers.

If convicted of making false statements, Stevens could face a maximum of five years in prison for each of the seven felony counts.

Stevens relinquished his leadership positions in the Senate after he was indicted, but conducted business as usual on Capitol Hill Wednesday, attending meetings and a Senate floor vote.

ABC News' Jake Tapper and Z. Byron Wolf contributed to this report.

July 31, 2008 in Veepstakes | Permalink | User Comments (17)

Bush Talks Retirement In WV but Claims 'Not a Farewell Address'

July 31, 2008 12:32 PM

ABC News’ Jennifer Duck reports:  President Bush discussed energy and the economy with the West Virginia Coal Association today, but as the race for the next president gets more heated by the hour, many of Bush’s talking points turned to his upcoming departure in January.

“As you know, I'm fixing to retire in about six months,” Bush said in his opening remarks as the crowd laughed.  “But I'm going to sprint to the finish.  And part of that sprint to the finish will be to continue to remind the American people that we need to be realistic and have common sense, about today’s energy needs and tomorrow's energy needs.”

Pushing his domestic energy agenda, as he has done all week, Bush stressed the importance of coal and nuclear energy, and reiterated his frustrations with the democratic-led Congress who leave this week for a month without passing energy legislation.

“There's a lot of frustration building up, and people are looking at Washington to actually do something constructive,” Bush told the crowd. 

“I asked the Congress to lift the legislative ban in June and to allow there to be, you know, offshore exploration,” Bush continued. “Tomorrow's the first of August.  That is now six weeks since I made the request, and the Democratic leaders there hadn't done anything.  I -- members are fixing to go home on their August break.  They get to explain to their citizens why nothing positive has happened.  Looking forward to listening to the explanations.”

President Bush addressed the economic numbers out today admitting the GDP rate wasn’t as robust as economists had hoped but credited the stimulus package for the growth from the slow first quarter.

“We got some good news today, encouraging news, not great news, but encouraging news:  that in the second quarter the economy grew at a rate of 1.9 percent,” Bush said.  “Now, you know, it's not as good as we'd like it to be, but I want to remind you, a few months ago, there were predictions and -- that the economy would shrink this quarter, not grow.  But in fact the opposite has happened.  As a matter of fact, it's more than double the rate we saw in the first quarter.  That's positive.”

He ended with a bit of nostalgia and what sounded like a farewell before quickly reinserting his famous “sprint to the finish” line.

“This is a compassionate, decent, fantastic country.  And it's been my honor to be your president for seven-and-a-half years.  I'm proud to be here with you.  I'm proud to call you friends,” Bush said.  “This is not a farewell address.  I'm sprinting to the finish.”

July 31, 2008 in Veepstakes, Vote 2008: Democrats | Permalink | User Comments (3)

McCain on Taxes: Trying to Have it Both Ways?

July 31, 2008 12:09 PM

ABC News' Rick Klein Reports: Sen. John McCain has spent much of the week trying to explain his exchange on ABC’s “This Week with George Stephanopoulos,” where he left the door open to raising taxes as part of a potential deal with Democrats on Social Security.

“There is nothing I would take off the table,” McCain said Sunday.

By mid-week, after the fiscal conservative group Club for Growth expressed outrage that he wouldn’t flatly rule out a tax increase, McCain, R-Ariz., seemed to clean up his answer.

“No,” he said curtly on Tuesday, when asked by a little girl in Nevada whether he’d raise taxes as president.

On Wednesday, he was even more explicit, offering his own twist on George H.W. Bush’s famous “read my lips” formulation.

“I want to look you in the eye: I will not raise your taxes nor support a tax increase. I will not do it,” McCain said at a town-hall meeting in Aurora, Colo., in the midst of an attack on Sen. Barack Obama on taxes, per ABC’s Bret Hovell.

But just hours later, he appeared to open another crack in his no-new-taxes pledge.

“In any negotiation that I might have, when I go in, my position will be that I am opposed to raising taxes. But we have to work together to save Social Security,” McCain said at a fundraiser Wednesday evening in Kansas City.

Pressed repeatedly in an interview with local reporters Wednesday, McCain said several times that he couldn’t rule anything out when it comes to Social Security.

“I’ve been involved in Washington in many negotiations on issues, whether it be immigration or campaign-finance reform or issues before the Commerce Committee. You go in with a position and you negotiate,” McCain said. “My position is that I’m against increased taxes, and my record shows that I have opposed tax increases and been in favor of tax cuts.”

McCain added: “My position going in in negotiations is I’m against tax increases, and I have not been supportive of tax increases, and we will negotiate and you have to negotiate in good faith.”

July 31, 2008 in Hunter, Duncan | Permalink | User Comments (27)

VEEPBEAT: The Prediction Market

July 31, 2008 11:32 AM

ABC News' Howard L. Rosenberg and Jan Crawford Greenburg report: Tim Kaine's stock is on the rise.  Literally.  In brisk trading on the prediction market---where investors buy and sell contracts that bet on the future fortunes of politicians---Kaine's price has skyrocketed in just the past few days.

"The movement in his odds is easily the biggest movement of anyone so far," in the race for the vice presidential nod according to Justin Wolfers, a business professor at The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and an expert on predictions.  "I’m rather struck by the size of this shift," Wolfers says in his distinctive Australian accent.

Wolfers, a columnist for the Wall Street Journal, is an expert in so-called "prediction markets." These markets allow investors to buy and sell contracts with real dollar values and essentially bet on how events will turn out—from who will win an Emmy, or whether or not it will rain tomorrow, or who will be the nominees for vice president.  Wolfers, who has spent years studying the prediction markets, believes they more accurately forecast events of all kinds than polls, pundits, scientific instruments, surveys or educated guesswork.

"The relevant question is not whether prediction markets are always right," said Wolfers, "but whether they are 'more right' -- or more often right -- than alternative approaches."

In a matter of days, since Kaine’s name gained currency on many Obama vice presidential candidates’ short lists, the price of a Kaine contract on the prediction market InTrade has risen thirty points.

Wolfers explains that the market is indicating the "short lists" for both Obama and McCain appear to be coalescing around front runners. 

For Obama, the data indicates traders are betting on Kaine, Indiana Sen. Evan Bayh, Delaware Sen. Joe Biden and Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius.  As it’s become clear that New York Sen. Hillary Clinton is not under serious consideration, her stock has plummeted. 

Wolfers points out though, that the market has also provided a few hidden clues.  Kaine's rapid rise in trading should "have come at the expense of someone else.  But Bayh (and the price of his stock) is completely unaffected by what has happened.  Kaine's rise has not hurt Bayh at all."

Sebelius' stock is also on the rise and the price of a contract betting on Biden has taken a slight hit. 

A month ago, the best bet on either the Democratic or Republican side was on "the field," or none of the above.  If you examine the current field contract on the Democratic side it's trading at 46.  The two most important candidates missing are Sebelius and Kaine.  Between them, Wolfers explains, "they account for all of the other category."

"This is a sign," Wolfers adds cautiously.  "I feel uneasy about what the market is telling me.  But given my views, it's going to be Kaine, Bayh, Biden or Sebelius.  The market has not moved this dramatically before."

On the Republican side there's a lot less movement, much less trading on the prediction markets.  Part of that is likely accounted for by less media attention on the McCain campaign.  At the same time though, Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, a frequent short-lister, has had a good week.  His stock has gone up from 20 to 33.

Mitt Romney is the other potential VP whose stock has been consistently high, now trading even with Pawlenty. 

The surprise on the GOP side would be Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, whose stock went from 12 to 20 this week.   

There's little trading in stock in former Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Ridge or the other dark horse possibility for McCain, Connecticut Senator Joe Lieberman. 

Wolfers says, on the Republican side too, it's a pretty good bet one of the leaders in the prediction market will be the nominee.   

But what’s the safest bet of all?  Well, political parties traditionally like to surprise the electorate to help gin up excitement and buzz with a vice presidential pick.  So again, the way to be sure you'll make money is to sell off contracts on individual leaders and bet on the field to include none-of-the-above. 

July 31, 2008 in Romney, Mitt | Permalink | User Comments (5)

Clinton Supporter Angered By 'Other Women' Obama VP Talk

July 31, 2008 9:52 AM

ABC News' Jennifer Parker reports: A longtime friend of Sen. Hillary Clinton said it's "incomprehensible" that Sen. Barack Obama would choose another woman to be his vice-presidential candidate over Sen. Hillary Clinton.

"The selection of either one of those instead of Sen. Clinton I would find completely incomprehensible," said Lanny Davis of rumored Obama vice-presidential contenders Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius and Missouri Sen. Claire McCaskill.

Davis is a former special counsel to President Bill Clinton and a longtime friend of Sen. Hillary Clinton's dating back to their time at Yale Law School.

"If anyone thinks that picking a woman will simply placate Hillary Clinton's female supporters, I think that's very patronizing to women and i don't think that that either Gov. Sebelius or Sen. McCaskill would disagree," said Davis, who penned an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal Thursday titled "Why Obama Should Pick Hillary."

Davis said he hasn't met either Sebelius or McCaskill and said he admires them, but Clinton is more qualified.

"She helps him more and she's more qualified," Davis said of Clinton, "Therefore, why would he pick two females, both who are very admirable public servants, why would you pick them over her?"

Davis, a longtime friend of Clinton, said he isn't speaking for Clinton and doesn't know if she truly wants to be vice-president. Though Davis said she recently called him when he was ill.

Davis said he hasn't given up on the "dream" of an Obama-Clinton ticket, though he said he has abandoned his early effort after Obama won the primary to get Clinton supporters to sign a petition urging Obama to pick Clinton as his running-mate.

However other Clinton supporters seem less confident in an Obama-Clinton ticket.

Two former Clinton campaign staffers who started the website VoteBoth.com to urge Obama to choose Clinton as his running-mate is shutting down under the assumption she's not on his short-list of vice-presidential candidates.

Obama's vice-presidential shortlist is being closely help by the campaign.

"We're not commenting about the nominee selection process," Obama spokesperson Bill Burton told ABC News.com.

Obama spent hours this week meeting with the co-chairs of his vice presidential committee search team Eric Holder and Caroline Kennedy.

Likely Democratic vice-presidential contenders include Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine, Indiana Sen. Even Bayh, Sen. Joe Biden, New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, and Sebelius, a two-term governor of a red state, and McCaskill, a first-time senator from a battleground state who is close to Obama.

McCaskill campaigned with Obama in Missouri Wednesday, but she has said she's not being vetted and sources close to her describe her role as a close personal advisor rather than a possible veep candidate. Meanwhile, Sebelius sidestepped questions Wednesday about whether she is being considered.

Obama may try to solidify his support among women voters thought key in November by picking a woman as his running-mate. 

Clinton, who lost her bid to be the Democratic Party's first woman presidential candidate, won 52 percent of Democratic women voters during the primaries. However Obama is leading McCain 54-39 percent in support from likely women voters, according to the latest ABC News poll.

But Davis argued Obama's poll numbers increase with Clinton as his running-mate, citing two June polls from Wall Street Journal/NBC and Fox/Opinion Dynamics.   

"Even they wouldn't contend, I believe, that they would be more helpful to Sen. Obama on the ticket than Hillary Clinton," Davis said of Sebelius and McCaskill.

ABC News' Matt Jaffe contributed to this report.

July 31, 2008 in Bush, George W., Kucinich, Dennis, Romney, Mitt, Tancredo, Tom, Thompson, Fred | Permalink | User Comments (349)

Bush Says Troop Tours to be Reduced

July 31, 2008 8:41 AM

ABC News' Yunji de Nies reports: President Bush announced this morning that beginning tomorrow, US troop tours in Iraq will be reduced from 15 months to 12 months.

"The progress in Iraq has allowed us to continue our policy of return on success," the President said from the Colonnade outside the Oval Office, "We have now brought home all five of the combat brigades and the three Marine units that were sent to Iraq as part of the surge. The last of these surge brigades returned home this month."

The President gave a brief status report on the Iraq war, now in its sixth year, laying out a picture of progress.

"We are now in our third consecutive month with reduced violence levels holding steady," he said, noting that violence there is at it's lowest level since the spring of 2004.

Mr. Bush said that the two governments are continuing to negotiate a Strategic Framework Agreement.  That agreement sets the terms for US Forces in Iraq, after the United Nations mandate expires on December 31, 2008.  The administration had hoped to have an agreement by July 31st, but has not met that goal.

The President warned that strategic gains are still reversible.  "We remain a nation at war," he said. "Al-Qaeda is on the run in Iraq, but the terrorists remain dangerous."

July 31, 2008 in Vote 2008: Democrats | Permalink | User Comments (40)